• by Tanya Gazdik , June 20, 2012

The Arizona Office of Tourism is launching a summer ad campaign that uses social media to try to engage potential tourists.

Themed “Discover a Summer Worth Sharing,” it is geared to drive in-state travel and increase tourist activities during the summer months.

It uses Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest to encourage travelers to "share" their Arizona travel experience with others to discover. By uploading photos and posting travel itinerary ideas on the campaign's Web site, SummerInAZ.com, travelers engage in conversations about their own adventures throughout the state.

This activity aims to provide an “authentic” element to the campaign by encouraging consumers to give a third-party endorsement.

The Web site, which is both mobile and tablet/iPad-friendly, includes five types of travel categories based on what residents enjoy doing during Arizona's summer months: AZ Explorer, Family Vacationer, Outdoor Adventurer, Urbanite and Water Enthusiast.

Each travel type has ideas for places to go along with things to do and a sample itinerary. In addition, each category includes a comment section for consumers to share travel stories and a photo carousel where visitors are invited to upload their own Arizona travel pictures. Comments and photos are then viewable to anyone visiting the Web site.

Expanding beyond Arizona’s current marketing campaign, which features the state's scenic landscape, the new campaign conveys a nostalgic, first-person tone featuring family-style photos of various statewide travel adventures.

"This campaign is a great example of how our marketing efforts are evolving to accommodate the many ways visitors plan their vacations," said Sherry Henry, Arizona Office of Tourism director, in a release. "Through leveraging social media tools, we can build a more personal campaign approach and give consumers the opportunity to help us tell the world about Arizona's vibrant travel destinations."

The campaign also includes print, radio, cinema, outdoor, mobile ads, banner ads and pay-per-click (PPC) search.

AOT will target the campaign message throughout the state, with an emphasis in the Phoenix and Tucson visitor markets. In addition, the Los Angeles market will be targeted with digital advertising efforts.